Regional: The Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) signed a US$ 12 million grant agreement for the Baltic Sea Regional Project. The project will be implemented in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the Russian Federation.
The project, which is based on the Large Marine Ecosystem concept, will address three main threats to the Baltic Sea – eutrophication caused by excessive loads of nutrients; contamination from industrial activities; and overexploitation of living marine resources. Further, the project will support investments targeted at a cost-efficient reduction of nutrient run-off from farms and activities for coastal zone management. In addition, it will support the improvement of data collection and its analysis, assessment and evaluation. The project is expected to be completed by June 2006.
Germany: Wedeco AG acquired Trailigaz Ozone, the third largest ozone water treatment technology company in the world, from Paris-based Vivendi Water Systems Group. The agreement is expected to become effective at the end of April 2003.
Headquarters of Trailigaz Ozone will remain in Paris, but will become part of Wedeco Gesellschaft für Umwelttechnologie mbH, the subsidiary that operates the ozone business of Wedeco Group. Vivendi Water Systems will obtain a 15.2% interest in the Wedeco ozone subsidiary. Wedeco Chairman Werner Klink, noted that "ozone systems account for less than eight percent of the water purification market, which is dominated by chlorine," so he foresees considerable growth in ozone technology.
Germany: The EXCELL competition has been launched in memory of the late Paul Schmidt, founder of the German Tracto-Technik company, based in Lennestadt. The competition is open to all contractors in the directional drilling industry, not only Tracto-Technik customers. Each year three prizes will be awarded by an international jury; the first prize winner will receive g 5,000 in cash. All contractors, including consulting companies, involved in directional drilling may participate. Winners may present their projects to an international audience at the next FAGEBO 2004 event.
Application forms for the next EXCELL 2004 competition can be obtained directly from MK HOFFE Organisationsbüro of Schmallenberg, Germany (Email: [email protected]).
Oman: A US$ 7.7 million project will be implemented to supply water to Sumail, Bidbid and Fanja, according to the Tender Board. The project, which includes setting up of a 62-km water pipeline, will include three main water reservoirs with a total capacity of 11,115 m3, an overhead water reservoir in Sumail with a capacity of 3150 cubic metres, a similar reservoir with a capacity of 545 m3 in Bidbid and another reservoir with a capacity of 1600 m3 in Fanja in the Interior Region.
This is in addition to constructing 16-km link lines between Sumail, Bid Bid and Fanaj.
The Tender Board has also awarded a project worth US$ 260,919 to construct a health complex in Sumail.
